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Spring has Officially Sprung at Daffodil Hill

Today is the day! It seems as if Mother Nature has decided to grace us with beautiful weather, flowers and most importantly, spring! Now, I know we are all still trying to do the “rain dance” as we need all the water we can get- but, we can’t argue at how beautiful these spring days have been. Weather forecasts say to enjoy it now, as this weekend we may have some showers…but, let’s enjoy the spring while we have it. And, with spring and the sunshine comes the bloom of daffodils- lots of them!
I absolutely LOVE this time of year, and one of my favorite weekend destinations is up the hill to Amador County. If you have never taken a day trip to Amador, or if you are visiting the area, make sure you don’t miss out on one of the more spectacular scenes in Northern California -Daffodil Hill (also known as McLaughlin’s Daffodil Hill Ranch). Located in Amador County, just about an hour east of Sacramento, from mid-March through mid-April, Daffodil Hill explodes with thousands of blooms, attracting visitors from around the world. This beautiful area is home to over 300,000 bulbs, including 300 varieties of daffodils and a large number of other varieties of bulbs and flowers. They open when 25% of the flowers are in bloom, which is typically mid to late March, but this year the flowers are already in bloom and they have made their official opening day today, March 2. Before planning your visit, make sure to call their hotline (209) 296-7048 to find out for sure if they are open when you will be visiting. The farm is open from 10am-4pm and they have a small BBQ deli across the street if you would like to purchase lunch, or, if you are like me, then you will pack a picnic to enjoy under one of the many shade trees.

If you haven’t been to Amador County, they have fantastic wineries and plenty of picnic areas. Wineries may not be on the top of your list of places to take kids, but many of them do have nice picnic areas and the scenery really is just too beautiful to pass up if you are in the area.

Another fun and picturesque place to visit in the area is Amador Flower Farm and Nursery. You can picnic on their grounds, visit the gardens and observe the hundreds of perennials, shrubs and vines they have to offer. My kids don’t really have the patience to explore the gardens with me quite yet, but after some hiking, biking and possibly exploring the local gold mines, I’m sure I can wear them out enough to possibly sneak into my favorite wineries (Karmere and Deaver to name a few). Spring is absolutely beautiful in Amador, and if you are searching for a fun day trip, this is one worth taking!